Re: [Harp-L] Harmonica America - Classical harmonica fusion

[Pierre <plavio@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have to find new ways to
> approach the business because the public at large is being told that they
> will not only not like "classical" music,

Huh? who is "telling" what?

but also they will not be
> 'whole' without the new Brittany CD!

Did you mean Britney?

I think the problem with classical music is that there is no easy way to get 
into it.

Take Jazz for instance, people can listen to Kenny G, Norah Jones, Diana 
Krall, Ella and Louis, Dave Brubeck (Take Five album) or whatever and slowly 
work their way towards Coltrane. Its like getting to like wine by starting 
with sweet wines, with time you acquire a taste for drier wines.

Pehaps you need fusion of rock with classical, I guess there has been some 
of that but there were few crossovers. Perhaps the problem is that classical 
players mostly interpret and also there are too few of them.

Maybe you should develop your ability to improvise on the chromatic, but do 
it classicly and then do a jam with Metallica. This reminds me of the band 
Apocalyptica, that was really cool music (for those of you who don't know, 
Apocalyptica did 2 albums of covers of Metallica tunes on cello's - great 
music).

Seems a bit hopeless though, if the Guitar Trio CDs can't get popular 
appeal, then what can. Guess you really need Metallica to get interested.

Hey why not!

Pierre.












----- Original Message ----- 
From: <bon@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, February 19, 2005 8:52 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] Harmonica America


> To the "Harmonica World at Large" I just finished my new recording
> "Harmonica America" with Phoebe Snow singing on three tracks. Again thanks
> to Rob Paparozzi for hooking me up with Phoebe and Bernard Purdie!!! We
> are now shopping it to labels as we are in the weirdest time in the music
> business in my lifetime.
>
> I am asking you not to skewer me for my diatonic playing or vocals on
> "Harmonica America" as there is method in my madness.  In order to play
> the major works for harmonica and orchestra, I have to find new ways to
> approach the business because the public at large is being told that they
> will not only not like "classical" music, but also they will not be
> 'whole' without the new Brittany CD!
>
> So all of us for about 15 years now have been "crossing over" which for me
> means pulling out the blues harps and blowing Sonnyboy for encores to
> Concerti.
>
> I have had several incredible diatonic players study chromatic with me,
> Paparozzi, Hoover, Singer, Turk, etc. and they make me feel humble on the
> diatonic and with improving on the chromatic.   I still am not an
> improviser on the chromatic; I don't have the time to keep my chops up for
> classical playing and then learn to improvise.
>
> But the blues, folk, country thing on diatonic is like riding a bicycle,
> so I drag the diatonic out to keep working in the Harmonica Concerto area.
> My only hope is that trends will swing back to more intellectual endeavors
> and I can go back to recording the major works for Harmonica and
> Orchestra.
>
> Harmonically yours,
>
> Robert Bonfiglio
> http://www.robertbonfiglio.com
>
>
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